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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26771380">Falling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle'>SugdenLovesDingle</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Flufftober [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Emmerdale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:54:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26771380</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Flufftober day 2: First meeting</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Flufftober [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947490</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Falling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m going for a run.” Aaron announced, sitting down on the sofa next to Adam to tie his shoes. “Do either of you lazy bastards want to come along?”</p><p>“I just got home from work. I’ve been plenty active today.” Ellis reasoned. “And I don’t want to make you two feel bad about yourselves because I’m so much fitter. Both in the looks and endurance department.” He grinned.</p><p>Aaron laughed and rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Ads?”</p><p>“Not today. Have to keep Ellis company or he’ll get lonely, now that he’s single again.”</p><p>“Keep me company while stuffing your face with crisps more like.” Ellis said, grabbing the bag off of Adam’s lap and stealing some crisps.</p><p>“Adam only runs when he’s being chased, you know that.” Aaron teased. “He just likes to pretend he’s too busy to work out.”</p><p>“I lead a very busy life.”</p><p>“Yeah like giving Matty relationship advice the other day? When he only came to drop off that stuff from your mum’s? While you’re single and he’s the only one in the family who’s actually seeing someone?”</p><p>“That’s because I give great advice.”</p><p>“Yeah you keep telling yourself that.” Aaron said and patted Adam’s leg as he got up. “Well, I’m off then. Maybe you two can take care of tea for tonight?”</p><p>“I’ll order something.” Adam promised.</p><p>“Just not pizza again. I’m sick of it.”</p><p>“You pick something up after your run then.”</p><p>“Oh yeah, chips from that place by the river!” Ellis cut in.</p><p>“That’s on the other side of town!”</p><p>“Well you’ll have a nice long run then.”</p><p>“I don’t think so.” Aaron said, scrolling through his phone looking for the right playlist. “I’ll be back in an hour or so.”</p><p>“Sure thing bro. But be careful alright? I don’t want to endure Chas Dingle’s wrath because her little boy got hurt on my watch.” Adam called out as Aaron left the house.</p><p>“I’m not on your watch.”</p><p>“That’s not how your mum will see it!”</p><p>Aaron shook his head and set off down the street.</p><p>He wasn’t an avid runner and didn’t have a regular schedule or anything, but every now and then he liked putting on his work out gear and going for a few laps around the park. It helped him clear his mind after a stressful day or just get some fresh air and his heart rate up.</p><p>He had his favourite route through the park not far from their house. He’d run a few laps, do some push ups on the field next to the pond, catch his breath on a bench for a while depending on the weather, and then head home again.</p><p>The park was busy with people walking their dogs, families enjoying a picnic on a summer night, a yoga class who had decided to take their exercises outside, as well as some other joggers.</p><p>Aaron recognised most of the regulars. They never actually spoke, but always gave each other a nod or smile in passing.</p><p>Because of this, he always noticed newcomers right away.</p><p>Newcomers like the ridiculously good looking blond guy currently doing stretches near the pond.</p><p>He’d seen him once or twice before and had thoroughly enjoyed the view. Especially when he’d lifted up his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face.</p><p>The guy always smiled at him when they passed each other, but, Aaron reminded himself, most of the people in the park did and he was probably just being friendly. Nothing more.</p><p>He was on his second lap coming up to the area near the pond again when suddenly the guy jogged up to him and started running beside him.</p><p>“Hi.”</p><p>Aaron gave him a confused look.</p><p>“Uh… hi…”</p><p>“I’m Robert.” The guy said with a smile.</p><p>“Aaron.”</p><p>“Nice to meet you, Aaron.” He held out his hand and Aaron clumsily shook it as they ran. “I just moved here, I don’t know anyone yet.”</p><p>“Uhuh…”</p><p>“So I figured I’d come say hi to the cute guy that’s always checking me out while pretending to do push ups.”</p><p>“I… uh… I’m… I uh…” Aaron stammered, feeling his cheeks heat up now that he’d been caught out.</p><p>“It’s ok. Works of art are meant to be admired.” Robert joked.</p><p>It took Aaron’s brain a second to process what he meant.</p><p>“Sure of yourself, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Maybe. But I’m not hearing you deny it.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t want to burst your bubble, mate.”</p><p>Robert laughed.</p><p>“Ouch. I’m hurt.”</p><p>Aaron bit his lip to stop himself from laughing and tried to come up with something else witty and funny to say. Only apparently being around cute guys made his brain turn to mush.</p><p>“So, what do you do for fun around here?” Robert asked as they ran on together.</p><p>“Oh uh… I don’t know. Depends on what you’re after I suppose.” Aaron shrugged. “There are some pubs and clubs in town…”</p><p>“Yeah? Anywhere you’d take someone on a first date?”</p><p>“Are… are you asking me out?”</p><p>“Trying to.”</p><p>Aaron looked at Robert to make sure he wasn’t joking, but while doing so he missed an uneven part of the path and stumbled and landed in an unflattering heap on the grass.</p><p>“Wow, are you alright?” Robert rushed over and knelt down next to him.</p><p>“I’m fine.” Aaron replied and tried to get up with what little remained of his dignity intact.</p><p>“Are you sure? Can you stand? Do you need a lift to A&amp;E?”</p><p>“No, it’s fine. I’m fine. I’m ok.” He let Robert help him up and brushed the sand and grass from his clothes. “I don’t think they have a cure for a bruised ego anyway.” He said and they both laughed a little.</p><p>“Alright, if you’re sure…”</p><p>“Yeah, I’m ok. My house isn’t far.” Aaron said and started to carefully hobble away when Robert stopped him with a hand on his arm.</p><p>“Wait, you never answered my question.”</p><p>Aaron frowned.</p><p>“You didn’t ask anything.”</p><p>“Fair enough.” Robert replied. “Will you go out with me on Friday? On a date?” he asked hopeful. “And I promise I won’t tell anyone you literally fell for me when I asked you out.”</p>
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